Sea Bright Settles Tax Appeals With Two Beach Clubs

SEA BRIGHT: Two of the beach clubs that filed tax appeals this year have settled with the borough.

During its Nov. 13 meeting, the Sea Bright Council approved two resolutions authorizing its special tax appeal attorney, Martin Allen, to settle with Driftwood Beach Club and Sea Bright Beach Club.

Driftwood Beach Club was assessed at a total tax assessment of $9 million in the 2016 and '17 tax years but the owners said their property only appraised at $11.2 million. The settlement states that the 2016 and '17 tax appeals will be dismissed and that the 2018 and 2019 total assessments will not exceed $15.2 million and $15 million, respectively.

Sea Bright Club was assessed at a total tax assessment of $16.4 million in the 2016 and '17 tax years but the owners said their property only appraised at $7 million. The settlement states that the 2016 and '17 tax appeals will be dismissed and that the 2018 and 2019 total assessments will not exceed $8.3 million.

Following last year's borough-wide revaluation, seven beach clubs filed appeals; Sea Bright Beach Club, Ship Ahoy, The Sands, Surfrider, Chapel, Driftwood and Edgewater. The five remaining clubs are still in the appeal process with the borough, according to Borough Administrator Joseph Verruni.

Allen has said revaluation is part of a Monmouth County pilot program that was designed to keep the value of homes and businesses in the county as close to real value as possible and that appeals are a common part of the process.

He has said there is no specific deadline for when a potential settlement will be reached with the remaining clubs.